Paulo Costa is back on the move, and this time, he’s got his crosshairs firmly locked onto Khamzat Chimaev. Just weeks after a solid win at UFC 318, the Brazilian middleweight touched down in California, and he brought the heat with him.
With a cheeky grin and headphones on, ‘The Eraser’ shared a selfie on Instagram recently with the caption, “I came to California to meet with Gourmet Chenchen but I think he is shy.” The jab was clear. “Gourmet Chenchen” is a nickname Costa has used repeatedly to mock Chimaev, and this post confirms he’s not just calling him out from afar; he’s actively chasing the fight.
Let’s rewind for a second. The roots of this feud stretch back to their cancelled fight at UFC 294. Costa was supposed to face Chimaev, but an elbow infection forced him out. The matchup dissolved, but the animosity didn’t. If anything, it grew teeth. Since then, the two have continued trading verbal shots.
Costa has even accused Chimaev of messaging his partner, claiming, “We need to fight. He talk very bad things about me, in my girl’s Instagram DMs, so this is totally personal.” However, the Chechen warrior fired back on X with, “It was she who wrote to me.”
Leading into UFC 318, the Brazilian had made it clear he needed to beat Roman Kopylov if he wanted to call out Chimaev again. He delivered with a unanimous decision win. As such, at the post-fight press conference, Costa didn’t hold back as he fired off on ‘Borz’ yet again, claiming that he was “lying” in his response on X and added, “If the UFC allows me, I will be there in Chicago in a few weeks.”
UFC 319, which takes place in ‘The Windy City’ on August 16, features Chimaev challenging Dricus Du Plessis for the middleweight title. That’s why Costa wants to be there, front and center.
Now, with his appearance in California, Costa is making good on his promise to stay close. He’s not just waiting for the UFC to book the fight; he’s actively inserting himself back into the picture.
And with Khamzat Chimaev days away from the biggest bout of his career, ‘The Brazilian’s timing couldn’t be more disruptive, as with both men potentially in the same city in the days leading up to UFC 319, things could get interesting fast. Yet, the undefeated Chechen phenom isn’t the only middleweight in Paulo Costa’s sights, as he has also received an interesting response from Reinier De Ridder recently!
Paulo Costa continues his trademark social media tirades, but Reinier De Ridder isn’t taking the bait
When Reinier De Ridder beat Robert Whittaker, he expected attention. But even he couldn’t predict how quickly Paulo Costa would jump in with insults, memes, and callouts. There was just one small problem: many of Costa’s trademark rants were aimed at a fake account pretending to be ‘The Dutch Knight’!
The account reportedly got suspended since then, but the damage was already done. Costa had already gone all-in. De Ridder, meanwhile, just laughed it off. Speaking to MMA Fighting, he stated, “He really, really wants that fight I think. He really wants to set something up. Keep trying. Keep trying, Paulo. You’ll get there.”
After all, De Ridder has good reason to stay calm. Since entering the UFC, he’s gone 4-0 with wins over top names like Bo Nickal and, most recently, ‘The Reaper’, the same man Costa lost to in 2024. Maybe that’s why Costa’s callout didn’t land. Not yet, anyway.
De Ridder admitted, “He would be a fun buildup, would be very fun in the press conference and everything with Paulo because he’s a character. But right now I don’t think he’s there.”
That’s a brutally honest assessment, yet it’s not too far off the mark. Paulo Costa is just 2-4 in his last six outings. The win over Kopylov at UFC 318 may have put him back in the conversation, but the Dutchman isn’t rushing into anything.
For now, Paulo Costa is doing what he does best, staying loud and keeping the pressure on. Whether it’s chasing Khamzat Chimaev across state lines or firing shots at Reinier De Ridder on social media, he’s making sure his name stays in the mix. But talk alone won’t earn him the fights he wants.
With UFC 319 around the corner and top middleweights potentially in the same building, all eyes will be on Chicago. The question is, can ‘The Eraser’ turn all this noise into action? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!
The post Paulo Costa Reaches California to Chase Rival Khamzat Chimaev appeared first on EssentiallySports.